As we drove to the reception venue, we stopped at Penn’s Landing to take some pictures with the river and Ben Franklin Bridge in the background. The sun was setting and the river reflected the sky’s deep orange and pink hues. When we piled into the limos our next destination was the reception venue, which was located up near where I went to school in the arts district. Dante popped open another bottle of champagne for the short drive. Since the moms were in another limo, ours developed a party bus atmosphere.
“Have I told you how gorgeous you look?” Dominic asked me, leaning close and whispering this in my ear.
“No, have I told you how hot you look in that tux?” The champagne was hitting my empty stomach pretty hard and my filter was coming off.
“I did notice you undressing me with your eyes when you were walking down the aisle.”
“I was not!” I protested, but knew my blush gave me away.
“Father DeLaurdis noticed too. Bad girl, having lustful thoughts in church,” Dom teased and I smacked him with my bouquet.
“God, I hope there’s food available when we get there,” I groaned, rubbing my empty stomach.
“There will be, but we still have more pictures. Yo, Dante, we got anything to eat down there?” Dom called down to the other end of the limo. Dante searched through the compartments by the bar area and tossed something wrapped in plastic. It was a bag of almonds.
“You like nuts, right?” Dom asked and wiggled his eyebrows making me snort.
“Are you offering to share your nuts with me?” I deliberately made my voice husky, aiming for sexy and sultry. It must have worked because Dom’s eyes darkened and he moved in closer. I leaned back in my seat and scooted down, hoping to put some distance between us, but wound up bumping into Paulie who was grinning at our exchange. Bianca was sitting next to Paulie and she was laughing at us. That often happened when I was with Dominic; I forgot there were other people around us.
Dominic smiled and winked before tossing the bag of almonds onto my lap. Sitting up, I ripped the bag open and shoved a handful of nuts into my mouth. The protein would be enough to absorb some of the alcohol and tide me over until dinner. Dominic placed his hand on my knee and moved his thumb in small circles that partly tickled and turned me on, making me want to squirm. He didn’t try to move his hand up my leg. For that I was grateful and if I was honest with myself, also disappointed.
We pulled up in front of an unassuming building that looked like any other office building in Philadelphia. Once inside, we followed a labyrinth marked with signs for the reception and paused at the top of a sweeping staircase. We looked out over a ballroom that made me think we were on the movie set for The Great Gatsby. Art deco dominated the room which was cast in pale blue light. Large round tables covered with deep red table cloths were on one side and a dance floor was on the other side. Guests crowded around the bar and servers weaved through the crowd with trays of appetizers. The photographer wanted to get a few more shots of us, but we were spotted and word spread fast. Soon all of the guests were gathering around the bottom of the stairs and clapping. The DJ jumped into action and started announcing the bridal party. They called my name and Dante’s so we carefully made our way down the stairs. I held on tightly to Dante’s arm since the bottom of my shoes slipped on the carpet.
Grant and Miranda made their grand entrance and I snapped as many pictures as possible with my phone. They both glowed and wore ear to ear smiles. They were quickly absorbed into the crowd as well wishers gathered around. I went off to find food and practically pounced on the first server to cross my path. Grabbing a cocktail napkin, I loaded up on bacon wrapped scallops and peanut satay chicken skewers, I then directed the server to seek out the bride and groom. I could only imagine how hungry they were. While waiting in line at the bar, I happily popped scallops in my mouth, savoring the bacon.
With a vodka tonic in hand and food in my belly, I was feeling better. It wasn’t hard to find my assigned table because my mom was already sitting there and she was alone sipping on a glass of water.
“Hey, how are you doing?” I asked, sitting down next to her. Each place setting had a name card and I saw that Dante was going to be sitting next to me; I had a feeling that was intentional. There were ten seats at the table and all assigned to the bridal party. Grant and Miranda had their own table and it was situated on a small stage by our table. It was set up like they were the king and queen looking out over their royal subjects.
“Honestly, I’m feeling a little inadequate.”
Whoa, okay, I wasn’t expecting that kind of response. “What do you mean?”
“Everything is so elaborate and Miranda’s family spared no expense. I couldn’t even pay for the rehearsal dinner.” She lowered her head and started fidgeting with the crystals on her dress. “I barely had enough money to pay for this.”
“Mom this is what her family does. You remember my graduation party.” When I graduated from the University of the Arts, Marco let me use Crimson for a private party. Dominic and Grant paid for a lavish spread and Marco comped the bar. Reaching up to my throat, I touched the diamond teardrop necklace Dominic had given me that night. “Their family motto should be Go Big or Go Home.”
This remark actually caused my mom to laugh. A sound I rarely heard. Her face lit up when she laughed and her eyes sparkled. “Besides, have you seen how happy Grant is? In the end it doesn’t matter who paid for what.”
“You’re right, Natalie. I’m sitting here blaming your father and getting into that vicious cycle of self-loathing.” She reached over and grabbed my hand. “Thanks for the perspective.”
I looked down at our hands, still not used to physical contact between us. “I blame dad too, but wonder if he stayed, would it have changed anything? I think he would still always have the urge to leave. I think he’s flawed, not us.”
She looked up at me and her eyes were glistening. “When did you get to be so insightful?” she asked with a smile and gently squeezed my hand.
The DJ made an announcement that dinner was going to be served. Dante came to sit next to me and the rest of the bridal party soon joined us. He raised his glass towards me in a private toast. A server came around and set baskets of warm, crusty multi-grain rolls with homemade butter down at our table. I quickly inhaled two and caught Dominic laughing at me.
“What?” I asked.
“I forgot about your appetite and I’m glad to see you haven’t lost it.”
“Despite popular belief, people do eat in L.A.,” I replied, which made everyone else laugh too.
Soon the main courses were brought out. I had ordered the surf and turf; NY strip steak with Maine lobster tail and a side of broccoli rabe sautéed with garlic. I really tried to eat it all, but the rolls expanded in my stomach, so I passed my plate over to Dante.
As plates were cleared, the DJ called Miranda and Grant onto the dance floor for their official first dance as husband and wife. All of the background chatter stopped and the room was eerily quiet as the newlyweds walked out together. Grant put his arms around Miranda’s waist, just below the ribbon, and pressed her close, she placed her arms around his neck and looked up at him. They stared into each other’s eyes, seemingly oblivious to everyone else. The lights dimmed just as their song started. They had chosen John Legend’s “All of Me” and it was truly the perfect choice. While the lyrics weren’t identical to their vows, they contained the same sentiment:
“Give your all to me
I'll give my all to you
You're my end and my beginning
Even when I lose I'm winning
'Cause I give you all of me
And you give me all of you”
Grant and Miranda didn’t bother with taking dance lessons; they just moved naturally with each other and at one point Grant dipped his bride, making them both laugh. It was such a beautiful moment and I loved seeing Grant so relaxed and carefree. When their song ended, Grant kissed Miranda and walked her over to where Uncle Al w
as waiting on the side. Since Al gave Miranda away, he was stepping in for the Father/Daughter dance as well.
I was surprised at the song choice when the acoustic guitar started for Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers”. As I listened to the lyrics though, it made sense for Miranda, especially one particular chorus:
“You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
You belong with your love on your arm
You belong somewhere you feel free…”
Growing up with Marco for a father wasn’t easy for Miranda. He was oppressive, abusive and sexist. I knew she felt freedom with Grant. He constantly supported her. When the song ended, Miranda and Uncle Al hugged, before walking off together. Miranda was crying and Grant kissed her, giving her some comfort before he and my mom were called out onto the dance floor. I was feeling pretty weepy at this point and had no idea what song they decided on since they didn’t have a lot of warm and fuzzy memories to draw upon. This too started out with acoustic guitar and I smiled when I recognized the gritty voice of the lead singer of Shinedown. The cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” was a perfect mix of old and new school and a great choice:
“Forget your lust for the rich man's gold
All that you need now is in your soul
And you can do this (oh baby) if you try
All that I want from you my son is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Be a something that you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh won't you do this for me son if you can
(if you can)”
Goose bumps rippled across my skin and tears leaked down my face as I listened to the meaning behind the song and watched my mom and brother dancing, completely focused on each other. I noticed my mom was mouthing the words as Grant twirled her around the dance floor. I could see it then, somehow my brother had found a way to forgive her. He had let go of the resentment. I was so caught up in this rare and emotional moment that I didn’t notice Dante getting up, but noticed when Dominic sat down beside me as I was always hyperaware of his presence. Without saying anything, he wrapped his arm around my waist and tucked me against his side, letting his tuxedo jacket absorb my tears. He kissed my forehead and held me.
Grant was always a simple man and he never wanted for anything except to take care of me and he did. Now he had his own family to take care of and he would be the father we never had. He’d get up on Christmas morning and make pancakes; he would be the provider and watch his children grow. I knew Grant would never walk out on his family. As Miranda said in her vows, Grant was her compass and her constant and that’s what he always was to me. Because of him, I was able to take care of myself. I also realized that maybe it was time for me to stop harboring resentment towards my mom. If Grant was able to, I could too.
My tears slowed, but I didn’t move away; drawing comfort from Dom’s presence.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I wasn’t expecting to get so emotional.” Snuggling closer, I was content to stay there for the rest of the night, but as the dance ended and my mom started walking back towards the table, I straightened up and wiped away any lingering tears. Dom remained by side until a black man approached. He had the fanciest cane I had ever seen. It was topped with an engraved gold knob and the bottom tip was gold too. The man wasn’t old, but walked with a limp. His gray eyes moved around the room as if they were recording everything and committing it to memory. His thick dreadlocks were pulled back and tied at the nape of his neck. He wore a well fitted black suit with a gray shirt underneath the jacket. As he got closer I noticed he had severe pockmarks from acne or burns, it was hard to tell, but they only added to the bad ass vibe he was giving off.
“Hey Demetrius, how you doing?” Dom asked, standing up and shaking the man’s hand.
“I’m doing aright. I need to talk to you though. Business,” Demetrius said this and looked sideways at me.
“Yeah, sure man. Let’s go over there,” Dom gestured toward an unoccupied section of the ballroom, getting Dante’s attention in the process. “I’ll be right back, Nat.”
“Take your time. I need to go clean up anyway.” I felt like a hot mess and imagined had mascara running down my cheeks.
I went to the bathroom, which had a lounge area reminiscent of the 1920’s. A sofa and matching chair with a scalloped back and curled arms accented with wood trim and upholstered with plush cream fabric were the main pieces of furniture. One of the wedding guests was sitting in the chair talking on her phone. The thick carpet felt good on the balls of my feet as I passed through the lounge and entered the bathroom. As I was coming out of one of the three stalls, Dominic’s mom, Angela, entered the lounge and she got my attention when with one look she was able to get the woman on the phone to leave. When it was just us, Angela locked the main door. I raised my eyebrows and walked over to the sink to wash my hands and fix my makeup; as suspected mascara had stained my cheeks, despite it claiming to be waterproof. Angela came to stand next to me, leaning against the vanity. She watched as I dabbed at my cheeks with a wet paper towel.
“Hi,” I said and was relieved that my voice sounded strong and didn’t reveal the uncertainty I was feeling. I had no idea what Dom’s mom wanted with me. Did she want the money back she leant me to help fund my escape from Philly? Was she going to tell me to leave again?
“Hi Natalie, how are you?”
“I’m good and you?” Drying my hands, I looked up at her when I threw the paper towel away. So far we were just two women having a normal, civil conversation.
“I’m good too. Listen, I wanted to talk to you alone and I hope you don’t mind it being here. I saw the opportunity.”
“No, that’s fine. Should we sit down?” I gestured toward the furniture and she nodded. This just added to the whole bizarreness of the situation, it felt like I was playing hostess in a freaking bathroom. Angela sat down in the chair and I took the loveseat. I crossed my legs and pivoted so we were facing each other. Angela was wearing a black and white cocktail dress and she tucked her long legs under, sitting with her back straight. Her hair was pulled up in a French twist like mine.
“I don’t know if Dom told you about the real reason why I helped you to get out?”
“No. There’s another reason?”
Angela shifted in her chair and took a deep breath. “Yes and Dom was pissed at me when I told him. In fact, he’s still a little mad.” Dominic adored his mom so her revelation made me prepare for the worst. What had she been hiding? “I knew Marco had put a hit out on you. I overheard him talking to Rico and Al. They tried to talk him out of it, but once he set his mind on something…” Angela trailed off and looked over at me expectantly, but I didn’t know what to say. One of her legs started to lightly bounce up and down; a nervous trait Dom had clearly inherited.
“Anyway, I knew that having you taken out would devastate Dom, more so than you just leaving. At least you were still alive.”
“I don’t understand, why didn’t you just tell Dom when you first found out?”
“It wasn’t my place to say anything. I wasn’t supposed to know. I knew Dom would try to take Marco out and I was afraid he’d get hurt or even killed. It seems so irrelevant now since he found out anyway and what’s done is done. I’m just grateful he kept a clear head to take Marco out and wasn’t his usual impulsive self.”
“Thank you for telling me… I guess?”
“Dom is miserable without you and I don’t mind interfering with this kind of business. I’ve seen the way you two are – it’s like you can’t stop touching each other. So, as his mom, I need to know if you’re going to break my boy’s heart again.”
She sure as hell didn’t hold back and I was stunned at being put on the spot. Why was everyone so interested in my relationship with Dom?
“I love your son,” I told her, pausing to gather my thoughts, “but now that things aren’t so crazy
, I’m trying to figure myself out and I don’t know where that will take me. I certainly don’t want to hurt him.”
We were interrupted when someone tried to open the door and they started pounding on it. Angela stood up and looked at me. “Do you really love him?” she asked.
“I do.”
“Then don’t string him along. Either you accept him and take him back or let him go for good.”
She quickly crossed the room and unlocked the door. The person on the other side practically fell forward into the lounge. Grabbing my clutch, I left but waited in the hall for a few minutes to allow enough time for Angela to reach the reception.
Her words weighed heavy on my mind as I walked back and it also made me wonder what Dom wanted to talk to me about. Upon entering the ballroom, I headed right for the bar.
The lights had dimmed and strobe lights lit up the crowded dance floor. As I waited in line for a drink, I looked around the room and spied Dom in the corner with Demetrius, who I assumed was a “business associate”, and Dante. Two Asian men sat at the table with them and they all seemed to be having an intense conversation where a lot of close talking was going on. Grant and Miranda were busy mingling with guests near their table and I was surprised to see mom was not at our table. I found her in the most unexpected place; dancing with Uncle Al. My mom was dancing and smiling. Holy shit! She was actually capable of having fun and looked years younger when she traded her signature terse mask for a smile.
The line moved up incrementally, but there was still a long wait since the two bartenders behind the bar were in the weeds hard. This wasn’t a temporary set-up either, but an actual real sized bar instead of one not much bigger than a piano. I turned back around to watch my mom some more and accidentally bumped into a man.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” I said.
“I’m not,” was his response and it caught me off guard. Surprised I looked up at the man to find a smirk hiding behind a thick layer of stubble. Dark blue eyes wandered over my body and I reflexively crossed my arms over my chest. “Friend of the bride or groom?” he asked, once again surprising me.
Endings & Beginnings (New Mafia Trilogy #3) Page 7
